


Chasing Monsters

by Rainywednesdaynight



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Behavioral Analysis Unit (Criminal Minds), Bellamy Blake & Lexa Friendship, Clexa, Clexa Relationship, Detective Lexa (The 100), F/F, Murder Mystery, Protective Bellamy Blake, Slow Build, Slow Burn, basically the criminal minds clexa story no one asked for, lexaven friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:48:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25644556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainywednesdaynight/pseuds/Rainywednesdaynight
Summary: When a small town is rocked by a string of gruesome murders that have police completely baffled, the FBI's BAU is called in to help. Rookie Detective Clarke Griffin struggles to keep her head above water as she tries to make a place for herself among the close knit team.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 37
Kudos: 103
Collections: Clexa AU





	1. Empty Houses

To all the neighbors, the house at the end of the cul-de-sac always looked eerie since it had been vacated. It had been years since the Nielson’s had left the state and from what the local rumor mill was saying, they couldn’t seem to sell the home.

The empty house, with the perfectly manicured lawn and beautiful double oak doors seemed perfect on the outside. The white picket fence added to the charm and made the house look like the cover of a Home and Garden Magazine. 

In the beginning there seemed to be a new family looking at the house daily, and none of the neighbors thought it would be empty for so long. But soon after the realtor visits slowed, and the house went weeks without seeing a single person inside. 

That’s why it was the perfect place to hide a body. 

No one heard the sound of the back yard gate opening late at night and no one heard the sound that the dark pick up truck made when leaving the neighborhood. 

The body of a young woman lay hidden away in the large closet of the master bedroom in the house. Her body was badly beaten and there was dried blood on her face. 

The man who placed her there wore all black. His face covered, despite the late hour he could not risk someone seeing the features of his face. He made quick work of breaking into the house through the kitchen window. When houses sit empty and realtors have showings, they become careless and forget to lock all windows like they normally would, but of course he already knew this. 

This wasn’t his first time. 

The other bodies had yet to be discovered. But that wasn’t surprising, as this was the first one he had placed in a residential neighborhood. He was becoming braver. 

He made quick work of hiding the body away in the house. It had sat empty for so long he hoped it would be a while before she was found.

He took great care in making sure nothing was left behind once he was done covering his sinister deed. He was used to being in the dark, his eyes adjusted well to the lack of light and he moved quickly from the home back to his truck.

When the truck pulled out of the neighborhood with its headlights on no one heard a single thing. 

It would be weeks before the body of Hailey Edwards would be found by an unexpecting couple touring the home. 

\-----

When Clarke Griffin first told her mother she was joining the FBI she was only 7 years old. Abby Griffin practically had a heart attack right then and there. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself it was just a small childhood dream, the days slowly came one by one that showed her otherwise. 

First when Clarke graduated with a BS in Criminal Justice instead of pursuing medicine, like Abby had hoped. Next when she joined the ranks of NYC's 78th precinct. To say Abby spent every day concerned for her daughter was an understatement. And every day she wished Clarke had simply become a pediatrician instead.

By the time she had made it to detective it had been just 2 years since joining the force. By this point Abby had come to terms with her daughter's career path.And then finally the day came when Clarke called her to tell her that she was finally about to live her dream. 

“The what?” Abby’s voice became louder as Clarke struggled to hold the phone close to her ear. 

“The BAU mom” Clarke walked towards the tall building in front of her. Many people walked past as she half walked, half ran to her destination. “It’s a pretty big deal honestly.” 

“I just don’t see why you didn’t stay at the 78th honey,” The blonde couldn't help but roll her eyes at her mom's statement “What even is the BAU?”

“The FBI mom. I’m finally getting to work with the FBI!” This was what she had been working towards all these years. She was 25 and getting ready to walk into her first day as an official member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. “But I have to go mom, I’m about to walk in and I’m afraid of being late!”

Abby wished her luck for her first day and reluctantly hung up as Clarke scanned her ID card and walked into the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fic I have written in literally yeeeaaaarrrrsssss. 
> 
> So I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback!
> 
> I know this first chapter was very vague (and very short...) but I also have more of the story written already! I just want to get a feel for if this is something people would be interested in! Please please please let me know! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	2. Impatience

“Hailey Edwards. She was the latest victim from Hudson Ohio.” 

Lexa held the picture of the blonde young woman in her hands. The case folders were spread all around the small conference room. Her body had been found a few days prior, along with 4 others all spread out throughout the small town. 

“The locals are calling the unsub: The Real Estate Killer. He seems to hide the bodies of his victims in vacated properties.” Lexa put up 3 more photos on the board while she explained further, “Hailey’s body was the first one found, however she was the most recently killed. The property where she was found had heavier foot traffic than the others.” 

“Perhaps the unsub is getting bolder?” the tall man leaning against the wall in the back asked. His features molded into confusion. “He wants the bodies to be found and when he was leaving them at the commercial locations it was taking too long?” 

“That was my initial thought too, Blake.” Lexa nodded. “The first three victims were found in vacant commercial properties. A warehouse, an office plaza and a restaurant. However Hailey was found first.” 

At that moment the door opened and a short brunette walked in followed by a blonde. 

“Sorry to interrupt the family meeting everyone-” Raven didn’t sound the least bit apologetic She walked to the front of the room where Lexa was standing. “Boss man wanted me to introduce you all to our latest addition, Clarke Griffin.” 

Lexa looked up from the photos she was holding and immediately locked eyes with the blonde standing behind Raven. 

“Detective Alexandra Woods.” She extended her hand out to Clarke. “But everyone calls me Lexa.” 

Clarke reached out to shake Lexa’s hand and immediately felt heat rising up her neck and she stumbled over her words. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Griffin. Well Clarke. Clarke Griffin.” The heat on her neck felt unbearable as she saw Lexa give her a smirk. 

“Alright love birds that’s enough-” the woman sitting down directly in front of where Lexa was standing snorted. “Do we know anything else about the unsub?”

Lexa pulled her hand away from Clarkes and turned her attention back to the board. She finished taping more pictures on the board as Raven led Clarke to some empty seats behind the woman who spoke up earlier.

“No. Local authorities are completely stumped. The unsub makes sure to leave no trace at the scene and we have reason to believe that he is taking his time with every placement.” Lexa pointed to crime scene photos on the board. “His first victim, chronologically, was 22 year old Jamie Fields. Her body was found about a week after Hailey Edwards however her body showed more advanced signs of decomposition. This leads us to believe he killed Jamie 3 weeks before Hailey.” Lexa frowned as she looked sound at everyone in the room. Many mirrored her expression. 

“So Edwards was the first found but the last killed,” Bellamy shifted his weight and flipped through the folder in his hands. ‘What about Iris Jeffords?” 

Lexa shuffled through her notes. “Iris Jeffords was killed after Fields but before Edwards. She was found 2 days ago. DOD seems to be 3-5 days before Edwards. This guy is sloppy.” 

“I don't think he’s sloppy.” Everyone looked at Clarke. The blonde turned red, her comment was louder than she expected. 

“Mind sharing with the class rookie?” the woman who spoke early raised an eyebrow at her.

“I don’t think he’s sloppy.” the blonde repeated. “I think Blake has a point. He wants the bodies found and when he wasn’t getting the results he wanted, he changed his process.” 

Clarke looked at Lexa and motioned to a copy of the case notes on the table. Lexa handed them to her and Clarke continued. “Jamie Fields was his first victim. She suffered blunt force trauma to her head and her body was covered in bruises. Her body had no traces of blood, despite having cuts and scrapes all over it. The unsub was very careful with the way he cleaned her up and then placed her body in that warehouse.” 

Lexa thought for a moment, her thoughts racing and images of the crime scene photos flashing across her eyes. 

“Iris Jeffords was found in a similar condition, however her body had traces of blood from her head wound and the defensive marks on her arms.” Clarke pulled out the police report from the second body discovery. “There was blood found on the floor of the empty restaurant leading to the freezer where her body was found.” 

“Almost as if it was left there on purpose.” Lexa interrupted Clarke and the blonde nodded quickly. 

“Exactly! When Jamie’s body wasn’t found right away he changed his process with his next victim. And whenever the second vic wasn’t found he placed Hailey’s body in a residential neighborhood.” Clarke said. “He isn’t sloppy. He’s impatient.”

Lexa nodded thoughtfully as she paced in front of the board. 

“I want everyone ready to go in 30.The sooner we leave, the sooner we take this guy off the streets.” 

Everyone began to gather their things and began to empty out of the conference room. Before Raven and Clarke could leave the room Lexa called after Raven. .

“Raven you’re staying here to run any and all information we receive out in the field.” 

“What no!” Raven began to argue but Lexa was already ahead of her. 

“I mean it Reyes. You were shot less than 3 weeks ago. Please don’t fight me on this” Lexa sounded exhausted, as if this was a conversation that she had daily. Raven looked angry but she also knew when to pick her battles. 

“Fine Woods. But I swear to God, once I finish PT not even the Director himself will stop me.”

“I promise I wouldn’t dream of it Reyes. Once you’re better I’ll even let you drive.” Lexa smirked as she walked towards her office.”Everyone meet downstairs in 20. I expect everyone ready no later than that.” Lexa spoke loudly into the open office space outside of the conference room. 

“That means you too” She turned towards Clarke. “Rookies hit the ground running at the BAU” 

Clarke felt the familiar rush of heat on her face once more.

\-----

The dark pick up truck sat in the shadows outside of Hudson Middle school. The driver was motionless as he watched the young woman walk towards her car under the light of the lamp post. 

She held a heavy bag across her shoulder and he could see exhaustion written on her face as she made it to her car. She had no idea the plans he had for her. His mind flashed with thoughts of the previous women he had hurt. 

She was older than the others. But not by much. 

He would continue to watch her. Learn her routine and when the moment was right he would take her just as he did the other 3.

Her car pulled out of the parking lot, driving dangerously close to where the truck was parked. But she didn;t see him. They never did. 

The truck headlights turned on as the engine roared to life. 

He would have her soon enough. 

But first, he had a bit of house hunting to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who gave me feed back on the first chapter! 
> 
> I'm a little nervous because I'm not too sure how long I want to make this. I feel like this chapter was a bit confusing so please let me know if you have any feedback for me! 
> 
> I am trying to write ahead as much as I can in case there is more interest in this story so that updates can be steady. 
> 
> Anywayyyssss... please let me know your thoughts!


	3. In Plain Sight

There was an air of confidence around the 5 people who walked into the Hudson Police Department. The small town had never experienced something as unnerving as the recent serial killers terror. 

“I’m assuming you’re the BAU team we’ve been expecting?” There was a certain gruffness in the older man's voice as he approached Lexa and the rest of her team. He eyed them up and down with distrust in his eyes. “I’m Chief D’Marco.”

“Yes sir. I’m Detective Alexandra Woods.” Lexa extended her hand out to the Police Chief with a slight small on her face. He reached out and shook her hand and she saw his eyes move towards the others. 

“This is Detective Bellamy Blake.” She motioned towards Bellamy who stood defensively behind her. He could sense that the chief had reservations about them already. He extended his hand and nodded towards D’Marco. 

“Behind him is Detective John Murphy.” John gave the chief a stern nod but did not offer his hand. “This is Octavia Blake. She will be handling all media interactive and will be the one putting out any and all statements.” 

Chief D’Marco tensed as he made eye contact with Octavia. He had never been accustomed to working with so many women. 

“Will that really be necessary?” D’Marco turned his attention to Lexa once more. “We are a small town. I think we can handle our own.” 

“With all due respect Chief D’Marco-” Lexa began, “This case will garner national attention. It will be in everyone's best interest if we take over PR immediately.” 

Her voice gave no room for negotiation. She gave him a stern look and then turned back to the last member of the group. 

“Last but not least, this is our newest member, Detective Clarke Griffin.” The blonde felt the awkward shift in the air as she reached out to the chief but all she received was a cold look from him. She retracted her hand and shifted back towards Octavia. 

“You’re supposed to be here to help. Not take over our investigation.” Chief D’Marco crossed his arms across his chest. He was a tall, older man, with a neatly trimmed beard on his face. It was becoming increasingly clear to everyone, especially Bellamy, that this man had something to prove. 

“Your team fumbled the handling of the first body. They wrote it off as soon as they saw the victims age and then when more bodies began to appear this department realized there was a serial killer on the loose and still chose to take 2 more weeks to contact us.” Bellamy’s voice was even but stern. His dark eyes challenged D’Marco to speak. “We are here to catch a murderer. Not to have a pissing contest with the local police department that couldn’t even walk onto the crime scene without contaminating it.” 

“That’s enough Blake.” Lexa’s voice was soft. Her green eyes locked on D’Marco. “We don’t have to be here Chief. You requested our help.” 

The chief’s hard demeanor faltered. It was true. His team couldn’t make sense as to what was happening. They had no leads and more bodies were showing up. 

“You’re right Detective. I meant no disrespect to you or your team. We are simply not used to working with other teams. But we want him caught just as much.” He told Lexa. 

She nodded and motioned for him to show them to their working space. 

They moved through the small offices with barely any words being exchanged among them. The tension was thick and Clarke felt as if it was suffocating her. Luckily it seemed as if Octavia noticed. 

“Bell isn’t a jerk or anything-” She whispered to the blonde as they walked into a small office towards the back of the precinct. “He and Lexa have been best friends since they started this job and he gets mad when people treat her with disrespect. Especially being a woman in this field.” Bellamy’s outburst seemed more understandable now, Clarke thought. Chief D’Marco obviously did not treat Lexa as an equal and spoke towards Bellamy during most of the conversation with the team. 

“I understand.” Clarke whispered back. “That’s very kind of him. My previous colleagues would have let me drown.” 

Octavia smirked and playfully punched her arm. “That doesn’t happen at the BAU. We drown with you!” 

Clarke laughed at the shorter girl and rolled her eyes. The playful moment ended when she felt as if someone was looking at her. When she looked around she found green eyes across the room. The blonde smiled shyly and felt the familiar heat on her neck from the eye contact. 

Lexa walked towards her as everyone began to set up their work areas. 

“Hey Rookie,” Lexa smiled “Sorry you had to see that. It’s pretty common with smaller towns we work with.” 

“You and Blake handled it well.” Clarke replied. Lexa snorted and shook her head,

“Blake is a hot head but he has a good heart.” The brunette said fondly. She looked back to where Bellamy and Octavia stood setting up their profile white board. “He’s just instinctively an older brother.” 

“Octavia mentioned that to me.” Clarke said. Her eyes followed Lexa’s and she began to notice the protective arm Bellamy had around Octavias shoulders. Octavia was trying to look annoyed but was failing at it. There was an air of familiarity between the two. 

“Oh. They’re actually siblings?” 

Lexa raised an eyebrow towards her. 

“Well if they aren’t, it’s one hell of a coincidence that they’re both named Blake.” 

“Being part of BAU I should have probably caught that huh?” Clarke blushed from embarrassment. Lexa laughed and nodded. 

“Probably. But I’ll let it slide this time Rookie.” Lexa motioned for her to follow. “I need your help with canvassing the area where Hailey Edwards was found.” 

Clarke followed Lexa to a desk near Octavia. The blonde set her leather satchel down on the desk and took out her case files. Lexa reached over to her own backpack and began to ruffle through all the folders in it.

“1548 Beehive Lane?” Clarke made a slight face as she read off the address in question. 

“That’s the one. The body was found in the closet of the master bedroom. Her wrist and ankles were both tied and there was a gag in her mouth. We believe that he hit her over the head from behind and then tied her up while she was unconscious.” Lexa handed Clarke a picture. 

This was the first picture she had seen of Hailey Edwards where she was alive. Her blonde hair fell in curls past her shoulders and her hazel eyes seemed to be filled with laughter. She was barely 19 when she was killed. 

“Why was she here? I thought she was a student at Colombia?” Clarke murmured softly, more to herself than Lexa. The brunette still heard her. 

“She was visiting her family. Her younger sister had just graduated Jr. High.” Lexa handed Clarke another photo. This time it was a younger blonde. She looked almost exactly like Hailey. 

“Poor kid.” Clarke put the picture on her desk and looked back up at Lexa. “Have we talked to the neighbors yet?” 

“Yes, but I feel as if we should probably double back. D’Marco’s officers aren’t profilers. They wouldn’t know the questions to ask.” Lexa nodded. She turned to look at Bellamy and Octavia who were speaking to a few HPD officers. 

“Be ready in 10?” Lexa asked and Clarke responded with a nod. Lexa smiled and turned away to walk towards the others, leaving Clarke with unexplainable butterflies in her stomach. 

\----------

“Talk to me Reyes.” Lexa answered her phone while driving the black SUV into the residential neighborhoods of Hudson. Raven’s voice filled the car through the speakers. 

“Not even a hello-” Raven teased “What happened to being madly in love with me Lex?” 

Octavia snorted from the back seat and even Bellamy let out a chuckle. 

“Lexa’s only love is her job Rae” Octavia quipped. Lexa shook her head from the drivers seat and signed dramatically. 

“Our love was supposed to be a secret dear.” Lexa sighed. This earned her a laugh from Raven. The brunette was back in Virginia. The sound of keys typing on a key board could be heard. 

“Well that’s disappointing.” Raven said with feigned sadness in her voice. “On the bright side I might have found a connection between all the victims!” 

“No shit?” John spoke up for the first time since Clarke had known him. His eyebrow raised in mild surprise. 

“Does someone DARE question my genius?” Raven said. 

“What’s the connection Rae?” Lexa slowed the SUV down in front of a blue and white house. The police tape covering the door and the fenced yard seemed so out of place in the neighborhood. 

“I cross referenced all the locations where the bodies were found to each other and was able to triangulate a location that was equal distance from all of them.” There was more keys clicking. “The only location around equal distance is Hudson Middle School.” 

“Wait!” Clarke’s mind was racing back to her earlier conversation with Lexa. “Is there only one Middle School in this town?” 

“Yep. The only one.” Raven replied with confusion in her voice. 

“The latest victim Hailey Edwards was in town because of her sister.” Clarke pulled out the younger girls picture from her bag. 

“The younger Edwards girl had just finished Middle School.” Lexa added. She looked at Clarke with what felt like approval. 

“So the unsub might work at the Middle School?” John asked

“Or he could have a kid that age?” Bellamy replied.

“His victims are all close in age and physical description.” Octavia frowned. “They were all blonde except for Iris Jeffords who had dark hair.” 

“But she was a natural blonde.” Lexa replied with her hand rubbing her face. “Maybe the unsub would know that?” 

“That just confirms what we already thought about the profile.” Bellamy said. “We believed he was a Caucasian male, between 35-45 years old, and more than likely a local.”

“I can keep digging around for more connections if you want? Maybe there is a connection between the empty properties and the middle school?” Raven’s voice came through the speakers again. 

“Yeah. See what you can find and give me a call back immediately Rae.” Lexa ended the call and began to exit the vehicle. Everyone followed suit and the all stood together in front of the house. 

“Baby Blake and Murphy-” Lexa turned towards Octavia. “Take one of the uniformed officers and go ask around the School District Building.” 

Octavia nodded and her and John walked towards a police car that had followed them to the neighborhood. 

“We will each split up and canvas the next couple of blocks. Someone saw something. We just need to figure out what it was.” Lexa said as she pulled out a small notebook from her coat. Bellamy nodded and pointed towards the entrance of the cul-de-sac.

“You and Griffin can start here and work outwards. I'll head down to the cross street and start there.” He pulled out a similar notebook to Lexa’s and walked down the street to begin his search. 

“I’ll take left, you go right.” The brunette told Clarke. “Let’s try to not spend too long at each house.” 

The blonde nodded and began to walk away but before she even took her first step a gentle hand grabbed her arm. She turned in confusion towards Lexa and saw her feeling around in her coat. 

“Here” She handed Clarke a small notebook, just like her own and Bell’s. “Everyone has one. It’s been almost like a tradition since Bell and I started with the BAU.” 

Clarke could see a small blush on Lexa’s cheeks and she couldn’t help but feel the butterflies return to her stomach. She took the small notebook from the brunette’s hands and saw that the corner of the book had CG embroidered in gold. 

“Thank you Lexa.” Clarke said quietly.

“Of course. You’re a part of the team now.” The brunette sounded awkward in her reply. She coughed lightly and rubbed the back of her neck. “So uh. I guess we should get started.” All the confidence from early was nowhere in sight. 

Clarke just gave her a small grin before walking towards the first house. 

\----------

As Bellamy knocked on his first home he didn’t notice the dark pick up truck parked a few doors down. 

The driver parked in front of a large shaded area. His face was covered by the shadows. His hands held a firm grip on the steering wheel. 

He watched as Bellamy spoke to an older woman, probably in her late 50’s. He could not hear what the woman was saying but he saw her shake her head at most of the questions Bellamy asked her. 

It seemed as if she didn’t know anything from that night. 

Good. 

He was careful. He always was. The last girl was found much faster than the others. And with the FBI now involved, his plan for the next victim would go smoothly. 

From the short distance away he could see Bellamy move on to the next home on his list. His dark hair tousled from the mid-June breeze. He was tall and muscular. 

That would be a problem later. Bellamy could easily overtake him if he wasn’t prepared. 

The man rubbed his hand across the stubble on his cheek. He wasn’t worried about the women. No he had already proven what he does to women. But Bellamy was a different story. 

He decided to wait and watch him for a little longer. 

Besides, he had no plans until tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has commented and left Kudos! Honestly I appreciate it so much!
> 
> So far the story is moving a bit slow and the relationship between Clarke and Lexa hasn't fully unraveled but I promise it's coming! I'm trying to update daily but I go back to work tomorrow so I might slow down a little!
> 
> Once again thank you so much for all the feedback! Hope this was a bit better length wise and story wise!
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	4. Calm Before the Storm

The silence in the small office was deafening. Clarke and Lexa sat around the table, papers thrown everywhere along with several boxes of chinese take out and not a single lead between them. Octavia’s gentle snoring could be heard coming from where the brunette’s head laid on the table. It had been an exhausting day. Bellamy had decided to spread himself out on the small couch that was pushed against the corner of the room. John had managed to stay awake a bit longer than the Blake’s had, but soon after he had given in to his sleepiness and made a small bed on the floor from the blankets they were given. The clock on the wall ticked away, slowly inching towards 2AM. 

The canvassing from earlier yielded no results and not a single neighbor came forward with anything useful. 

Lexa and Clarke had managed to speak to every neighbor in the cul-de-sac but every answer they were given was the same that was given to D’Marco’s men. Lexa flipped through her notebook silently, her eyes scanning the pages for the tenth time that night in search of a clue she might have missed. 

“If you stare at it any longer you might burn a whole through it.” The blonde mused from her seat next to Lexa. “Why don’t you rest Lex? It’s getting late.” 

There was a small blush building on the tips of Clarke’s ears from using a nickname with the brunette. She wasn’t sure if it was the right move but the butterflies in her stomach didn’t care. They were the only 2 still awake and Clarke felt as if the privacy was something she needed to take full advantage of. 

“I’m okay Rookie. I’m used to the long nights.” Lexa tried to crack a grin at Clarke but was unable due to a yawn that broke through instead. “Pretend you didn’t see that.”

“Your secret's safe with me” She winked back at her. Lexa could only look away with a smile tugging at her lips and heat rising on her cheeks. 

“Are you having any luck?” Lexa looked over to where Clarke had spread out all her notes. 

The blonde shook her head and rubbed her hand across her eyes. Clarke could feel the exhaustion from the day taking its toll on her and she struggled to stay focused. 

“The neighbors in 1546 said something a bit interesting but I’m trying to figure out if it matters or not.” Clarke explained as she flipped through her notebook. 

“What was it?”

“She said that the realtor practically disappeared after the first few weeks” Clarke pulled up a list from her laptop. “She had steady showings in the beginning but then they abruptly stopped about a month ago. The week before Hailey Edwards was killed.”

“That is interesting. Do we know why?” Lexa asked.

“No but I did send the information to Raven and I’m hoping she can find the answer.” the blonde yawned. Lexa gave her a playful smile, 

“Seems like maybe you should get some rest too Rookie” The taller girl laughed as Clarke gave her a pointed look and ignored her comment. 

“I’m going to make a cup of coffee. Would you like one?” Clarke asked as she got up from her seat. 

If you were to ask Lexa what prompted her to ask the next question she wouldn’t be able to tell you. Perhaps it was the cute way Clarke’s blonde hair was tousled, or the way Clarke’s sleepy blue eyes made her stomach do flips. Maybe Lexa would say she was going stir crazy in that small office and she wanted to breathe fresh air. 

“I’m actually a bit hungry. How about we hit that 24 hour diner in town?” The question hung in the air for a second as Lexa silently cursed at herself for asking such a ridiculous question. How unprofessional would Clarke believe she was now? “Not a date or anything. I just thought you might want pancakes. Do you like pancakes? If not we don’t have to I just figu-” Lexa was panicking. 

“Lex.” 

“Yes?”

“I would love pancakes.” 

\----------

When the black SUV pulled into the parking lot of the diner, Clarke felt her stomach growl. They had eaten at around 6 that day but she could already feel the hunger coming back. 

The small diner looked as if it hadn’t been touched by time in decades. The bright neon signs were just as bright as they must have been in the 50’s. There were 2 other cars in the parking lot and it seemed as if Lexa and Clarke were not the only ones out on late night adventures.

“This place looks really cute.” Lexa broke the silence first as she unbuckled her seat belt. Clarke hummed a response and followed the taller girl out of the car. 

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Lexa said. “I don’t know why I started rambling. I don’t want you to think I had any ulterior motives or anything.” 

“Do you say that to all your dates?” Clarke teased. Lexa blushed again and began to open her mouth in response when Clarke beat her to it. “I’m kidding Lex.”

They were a few feet from the entrance when Lexa stopped to look at the blonde. Despite it being the middle of June, the air still had a slight chill to it. 

“Would you like this to be a date?” Lexa’s voice was quiet. It had been years since she allowed herself to have any sort of affection towards anyone. Of course she loved her team, and Bellamy was like the brother she never had, but she hadn’t felt butterflies for another woman in a long time. 

Clarke bit her lip trying to suppress a smile. She saw the nervous way Lexa stood in front of her and shifted her weight back and forth between her legs.  
“I truly was joking Lex. Please do not feel obligated to agree with my dumb teasing.” Clarke said softly. 

“I-” Lexa struggled to find the right words. She paused and thought about all the possibilities her next words might bring “I haven’t been on a date in years Clarke. And I would like this to be a date very much but I would much rather take you out when we aren’t in the middle of a murder investigation.” 

The brunette was always calm and level headed when dealing with her job and team at the BAU, but it seemed as if the blonde had managed to bring a softer, more unsure side of her out.

“I would like that a lot.” Clarke said. 

Lexa let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and gave Clarke a grin. Even though this wouldn’t be a date, the promise of a tomorrow seemed to calm both of their nerves. 

The taller girl reached out to open the door and motioned the blonde inside. 

\----------

“You are absolutely insane!” Clarke exclaimed at Lexa. “An absolute mad woman!”

“Marshmallows are disgusting and you will not change my mind!” Lexa made a face as she watched Clarke shovel a mouthful of her S’mores pancakes into her mouth. 

“They’re delicious!” The blonde said wagging her fork at Lexa. “They’re basically fluffy edible pillows.”

“You have the palette of a child” Lexa deadpanned. The exhaustion from earlier completely forgotten by both of them as they laughed and joked together. 

They had sat there for the last hour or so just talking about everything and anything. Lexa had learned that Clarke was an only child. Her mother was a trauma surgeon and her father was a mechanical engineer. Her favorite color was green and Lexa tried not to blush when Clarke had said that to her with a wink. 

Clarke was able to ask Lexa all the questions her heart desired and she quickly learned that Lexa was an open book for the most part. She was also an only child but not by choice. Lexa had been adopted by the Woods family very early on in her life. And she only remembered a small portion of her life before them. 

Time had seemed to pass slower inside the diner and for a few hours Clarke and Lexa were able to pretend that they were not on duty, miles away from home trying to catch a serial killer.

But then Lexa’s phone rang, bringing them both back to reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I get to read a new comment I honestly feel like crying because y'all are so nice! 
> 
> This chapter was a little harder because I didn't want the relationship between Lexa and Clarke to feel forced, ya know? I wanted it to feel awkward and maybe a bit timid but I also wanted it to flow nicely. So please let me know your thoughts on that!
> 
> I appreciate everyone who has given me feedback and I'm so glad many of you are enjoying the story so far!
> 
> I;m debating making this a collection, where each "book" would be about 10-15 chapters and would be a new crime each time but with their relationship and struggles taking place too? Idk we'll see how this goes!
> 
> Once again, thank you so much everyone!


	5. Closing In

“Isn’t it a little late to be calling Rae?” Lexa asked as she took a drink of coffee. 

Clarke smiles at her and reached across the table to set her hand down near where hers was. The brunette looked down at her hand and blushed furiously as she laid hers on top of Clarke’s. 

“Is Blondie with you?” Raven ignored Lexa’s question. Her voice wasn’t playful like it usually was. 

“She is? Hold on” Lexa handed Clarke her phone. She shrugged at the blonde. The brunette waved the waitress over and asked for the check while Clarke spoke to Raven. 

“What’s up Rae?” 

“Listen, I found the link!” Raven exclaimed! Clarke could hear the clicking of a keyboard in the background. 

“Whoa wait-” The blonde furrowed her brow, trying to remember what link Raven could be talking about. 

“About the Realtor!” Raven replied. Clarke’s eyes widened. She pulled out her small notebook while holding the phone between her ear and shoulder. 

“What did you find?” 

“The realtor stopped having showings because of a big problem” There was more clicking. Clarke could practically hear the wheels in Raven’s head whirling. “A week before the showings ended, the realtor had an exterminator come in due to a couple of buyers complaints.” 

Exterminator? There had been no signs of one at any of the crime scenes as far as Clarke could remember. She flipped back through her notes to try and find any indication of one.

“Rae, there was no sign of an exterminator at any of the scenes.” Clarke was perplexed. Lexa squeezed her hand lightly and gave her a confused look. 

“Exactly Clarke!” Raven puffed out. “That’s the whole point! Every property where the bodies were found had a different realtor! But every realtor had something in common. They all called the same pest control company.”

The blonde’s eyes widened. She looked at Lexa and mouthed that they had to go back to the precinct. 

“Do you have the name of the exterminator?” Clarke asked quickly as she and Lexa got up and walked towards the entrance. 

“Nah, I just decided to let you figure it our all on your own” Raven deadpanned. “Of course I have a name for you.” Clarke heard more clicking and a soft hum come from Raven. 

“Bingo.” Raven exclaimed “Richie’s Pest Control & Tree Service” 

“Raven, I could kiss you right now” Clarke said in a serious tone. 

“I do have that effect on women,” Raven laughed. A second later Clarke heard a ding come from her own phone. “I just sent you the address. Hopefully you guys find something in the morning.” 

Clarke thanked Raven once more, her heart racing from finally having a solid lead. She hung up with Raven and handed Lexa her phone back. 

The brunette gave her a smile and nodded towards the SUV. She knew they had to get back soon but she couldn’t help but want a few more minutes alone with the blonde. 

As if reading her mind, Clarke stepped closer to Lexa and took her hand with her own. She playfully pulled Lexa closer to her and began to walk to the car. Their hands intertwined. 

“I’m happy we have a lead, but a little upset it ruined our moment.” Clarke confessed. She blushed as the words left her mouth and she couldn’t help but feel guilt in her chest. 

“I understand exactly what you mean.”The brunette responded. “I enjoyed tonight. This is the first time in a long time that I have felt normal.”

“Well when we catch this bastard and go back home, maybe you could come over and we could have a movie night?” Clarke bit her lip. “I not only have the palette of a child, but also the movie taste of one too.” 

Lexa couldn’t help but laugh and feel a swell in her chest from the thought of spending another night in Clarke’s presence. The thought of sitting on a couch with a Disney movie playing in the background and the beautiful blonde next to her was enough to give Lexa more butterflies than she could explain. 

“I would really like that Clarke.” Lexa smiled as they reached the car. “I would like that a lot.”

\----------

The middle school parking lot was empty once more. Well. Almost empty. 

The same small sedan was parked there yet again. But the owner was nowhere in sight. 

He had sat in the dark about 40 yards away from the car for hours now, But he didn’t mind. It was all part of the hunt. 

He knew that the FBI was closing in on him. He had seen the 2 detectives earlier at the Municipal School Building after he left the neighborhood.. They were asking too many questions for his taste and from the gossip he heard from the other workers, the FBI was making connections fast. 

The next victim would have to be sped up. He could not afford to get caught so soon. 

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the woman he had been waiting for exit the building. 

Her blonde hair was tied up in a loose bun and he could see her school ID around her neck. 

You would think from years of teaching stranger danger to children, teachers would know better than to walk alone at night. 

But it didn’t matter. 

He would teach her that lesson soon enough. 

\----------

When Lexa and Clarke walked back into the conference rooms where the others slept, they were surprised to see everyone awake and shuffling through their notes once more. Bellamy was the first to greet them and offer them a fresh cup of coffee. 

“I’m assuming Raven called to interrupt your date?” Bell asked with a smirk on his face. Lexa sent him a pointed look and ignored his question. 

“Bell, leave the lovebirds alone.” Octavia quipped in. Bellamy laughed at her comment and even John gave a silent grin. 

“If you clowns are down joking around-” Lexa said with a roll of her eyes “We have a lead!”

“Yeah the exterminator.” John said as he wrote down more notes. “Raven called us. Good job thinking of that connection Rookie.” 

Clarke blushed at the compliment. She took out her own notebook and sat down next to Octavia to compare more notes. 

“He seems to fit the profile closely.” Bellamy handed Lexa a manila folder. “Richard Zander Jr. He’s 42 and has lived in the area his whole life. His father Richard Zander Sr. was the original owner of the company. He died in 2015 and left it to his only son.”

“Any trouble in the home?” Lexa asked as she flipped through the folder. “Our original profile included a troubled home life and more than likely a small criminal record.”

“Double bingo on those Lex-” Octavia spoke up. “The local PD has at least a few dozen domestic violence calls to the Zander residence during the time Jr was a kid. Mrs. Zander never wanted to press charges and the case was always dropped. As for the criminal record, there were a few assault charges and a breaking and entering charge too.”

“It seems like we found him.” Lexa murmured to herself. 

“We already sent an unmarked unit to stake out his house overnight. And we have a warrant in the works to get him tomorrow.” Bellamy said. 

“I don’t think we have enough to charge him.” Clarke finally spoke after checking all the new information. “Everything we have is coincidental at best. I don’t think we have any physical evidence or a witness to place him there.” 

“The Rookie’s right-” Octavia sighed. She rubbed her hand across her face.

Bellamy nodded and looked at Lexa. “Why don’t you and blondie go get some rest and we’ll keep looking”

“I don’t know Bell-” Lexa started to protest.

“Lex, we have a unit at his house, he isn’t going anywhere.” Bellamy reassured her. “Go get some rest and we will find something in the meantime.”

Lexa wanted to argue but she could feel the exhaustion weighing on her shoulders. She looked at Clarke and saw that the blonde was already nodding off as well. 

“Alright, but make sure to wake us up the moment you find something.” Lexa told them. 

The team nodded and Lexa and Clarke went to lay down where Bell and John were resting earlier. They both slowly drifted to sleep with the sound of papers rustling and notes being scribbled in the background. Neither of them fighting off sleep any longer. 

Unknown to them, it would be a few more hours before another body was found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little behind on updates just because work has been crazy! 
> 
> I tried to make this chapter a little longer to make up for it tho! Let me know what you think in the comments and any suggestions you might have! I think this first book should be wrapped up in about 3-4 more chapters. 
> 
> I appreciate every single one of you that have taken the time to read this, leave kudos and especially comment!
> 
> Thank you!


	6. The Road Not Taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, let me just say that I'm sorry this took me so long! I tried to pre-write as much as I could but I honestly got stumped half way through! 
> 
> This is def not one of my best chapters but I promise that next one will not take as long as this one did!

Richard Zander Jr. was nothing like his father. 

He had spent years watching his drunk excuse of a father beat his mother and throw money away on alcohol and drugs. He had his own scars from the man too. 

When he was 14 years old he became brave enough to stand up to the old man. His father never fought fairly however, it was never going to be a fair fight. Richard still had the 3 inch scar on his left side to prove it. 

He spent his teenage years trying to become a better man than his father ever showed him to be. It wasn’t easy and he definitely had the record to show just how dumb and impressionable kids can be to peer pressure. But once he was old enough, he was finally able to protect his mother the way he had wanted to for years. 

When the police knocked on his door that morning and his wife answered, no one was caught more off guard than he was. 

\----------

“Mr. Zander-” Lexa walked into the small interrogation room with Bellamy close behind her. 

“Please, just call me Richard.” The man at the table said softly “I hate being called Mr. Zander. It reminds me too much of my father.” 

Bellamy looked perplexed at the sight of the tall man. He had an air of confidence around him, but it wasn’t arrogant. His eyes were kind and he wore a gold wedding band on his ring finger. Bellamy took note of the small tattoos on his wrist. They looked to be small and delicate butterflies. 

“Of course-” Lexa’s voice interrupted Bell’s thoughts. “Richard, do you know why you’re here?” 

“I do not Detective. I had planned to have an uneventful Saturday with my wife and daughters until those officers arrived at my front door.” Richard’s voice was soft. He did not seem upset or angry in any way, simply confused. 

“Were you aware that your company has been linked to every property where bodies from the last few months murders have been found?” Lexa’s voice matched Richard's tone. She kept herself steady and analyzed his reaction closely. 

“I wasn't aware of that Detective. I employ over 15 employees and have more than 10 company trucks registered.” The taller man said. “I’m not involved with every job we do.”   
“How are you not involved?” Bellamy interrupted. “I would assume you would keep track of these things?” 

“Detective, I have worked very hard the last 20 years to drag my family name out of the mud and build a good life for my family.” Richard's voice had a hint of annoyance at this point. “I have a main office building where our clients call to set up appointments. There are 3 assistants there who schedule, dispatch and run the day to day business. We are the only pest control agency in this town.” 

Bellamy narrowed his eyes at him and crossed his arms across his chest. 

“Approximately how many techs do you employ Richard?” Bellamy asked. Richard let out a deep breath and rubbed his hand on his chin thoughtfully. 

“15. It used to be 14 but we hired the 15th guy a few months back. I have 18 employees total.” 

“How do your employees get around?” Lexa asked. She pulled out her small notebook from her inner jacket pocket and began to thumb through it. 

“I have a fleet of 10 trucks. Detective. My guys switch them out daily since I haven’t had the chance to purchase 5 more yet. My company is growing at a faster pace than I can keep up with” Richard said with a small laugh. “Which is fantastic! But some days I do wish it was a little easier.” 

“I’m surprised you don’t have any help Richard.” Lexa said. Her green eyes met his with a challenging glint. “I’m sure you helped your father when you were younger.” 

Lexa was expecting to gain a rise out of him. She had seen it several times before in different unsubs. They would be well put together and calm until a certain topic was brought up. Lexa was hoping that topic would be his father. 

“That old bastard never wanted help. That’s why the business was going down hill before I ever even laid a hand on it. Besides, my oldest is barely 9, maybe she’ll take an interest later on, but I don't see either of my daughters wanting to join the pest control business.” Richard’s voice became tense but he gave of no other sign of discomfort. 

“What was your father like, Richard.” Lexa asked, seemingly ignoring his entire explanation. “It must have been hard growing up in that house, with a mother who didn’t protect you.” Her green eyes scanned his face, analyzing every movement he made. 

Bellamy watched him carefully. He was used to Unsubs reacting badly to past traumas being brought up. He knew this is what Lexa was trying to accomplish.

“My father-” Richard began, his voice shaking “Was a mean son of a bitch who couldn’t win a fair fight. So instead he beat his own wife and son into submission. He was an alcoholic, always trying to find comfort at the bottom of a bottle.” 

“And your mother?” 

“I don’t see what she has to do with this-” He said. Bellamy noted the lack of aggression in his tone. “She was a good woman. She did her best trying to make my life bearable. I can’t tell you how many beatings that woman took for me.” 

Lexa skimmed the manila folder in her hands thoughtfully. Her mind analyzing his reactions. 

“I don’t know what you people want from me.” Richard stated. He was slowly regaining the control in his voice. “I can give you access to all our dispatch records. I assure you, I am hardly ever in the field. I have too much work to do on the back end of the business.” 

Bellamy found himself believing him. There was no way that the man sitting in front of them was the killer. Emotionally he did not fit the profile at all and from what they learned about him from neighbors and friends, Richard Zander Jr was not a bad man. 

“I’ll take you up on that Richard.” Lexa stated after a beat of silence. “We will also need full personnel records of all you technicians and the assistants at the main office.” 

“Anything you need, Detective” Richard nodded. 

Lexa gave him a small nod and motioned Bellamy to follow her out of the room. 

\----------

Clarke and Octavia stood watching Richard through the two way glass in silence. They heard the door open but neither made an acknowledgement towards it. 

“It’s not him,” Lexa said with a sigh. She threw the folder in her hands down on the small table in the room. “He fits the profile in some ways but overall he has no aggression, there’s no past issues and overall he seems to be a success story to a bad situation.”

“It doesn’t make sense.” Clarke said.”The connection to him is there.” 

“No. The connection isn’t to him, it’s to his company.” Lexa replied with irritation in her voice. “It could very well be one of his employees.”

“But he fits the profile.” Clarke snapped. “The connection is there, I know it is. He could have just been feeding you an act in there.”   
“It wasn’t an act Clarke.” This time it was Bellamy that answered. Lexa shot him a grateful look as she quickly became irritated with the situation. 

“Yeah, people thought Ted Bundy was a good man too.” Clarke said. She took out her phone and made her way towards the door. “I’m going to call Murphy and see if he’s having any luck at the crime scene.” 

“What’s Blondie’s problem?” Bellamy asked after Clarke left. Lexa gave him a small shrug and poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot in the room. That morning when Bell had woken her and Clarke up with the news of the new body found, she noticed a change in the blonde. 

“She thinks it's her fault.” Octavia said as she continued to look at Richard through the glass

“Why would she think that?” Lexa thought out loud. “Was it because of our date?” She definitely didn’t mean to say that out loud either. 

“Probably.” Octavia shrugged. “I tried to tell her this morning that it didn’t matter about last night. The time of death was early in the evening. She had been dead for hours before she was found.” 

Lexa let out a sigh and was about to go after Clarke when her phone rang. The brunette looked down and say Raven’s name flash on her screen. 

“This better be good Raven-” Lexa answered.

It is way too early for you to be acting full on Commander right now Lex.” Raven replied with sass in her voice. 

“Sorry.” Lexa mumbled. “It’s been a rough morning. Richard Zander was a bust.”

“Well it’s a good thing the love of your freaking life is hear to make it all better.” Raven quipped. Lexa could hear clicking of keys in the background. 

“Lay it on my darling” Lexa Drawled out. Raven gave a short laugh. 

“I was able to scan through all of Zanders business portfolios once we got permission from him and I found out that his newest employee is actually a wanted man.” 

Lexa’s eyes went wide. She knew it had to be someone tied to that company!

“How did you find this out Rae?”

“Well sweetheart-” Raven said while crunching on a chip.”He isn’t very bright. He used his legal name and thought that simply changing the last digit of his social would be enough to cover his tracks.” 

“Raven, one of these days I really am going to kiss you.” Lexa joked. 

“I don’t think Blondie would like that very much,” Raven snorted. “I’m texting you his information now. Our suspect also didn’t show up to work this morning.”

Lexa’s phone buzzed a few seconds later with a new message from Raven.The brunette said goodbye and hung up. 

“Let’s go, I think Raven found our man.” 

\----------

The FBI was closing in on him. He could feel it. 

His last few kills hadn’t been as clean as the first one. He was getting sloppy. 

The woman he murdered last night was surprisingly harder than he expected. She fought back and made sure he had a challenge on his hands. She had managed to scratch his face pretty badly and he knew they would find his blood under her nails.

The thought made him smile. 

Despite her trying her hardest and fighting for her life, she ended up just like the others. Their rejection of him had made their deaths that much sweeter for him to do. He wanted them to remember his face as the life drained from their eyes. 

He sat alone in his apartment, his eyes closed and his hands wrapped around different shreds of clothing. 

Little souvenirs. 

On the couch next to him was a gun. He had never used it on his victims, as he preferred a more...personal..approach. But he knew that he wouldn’t have the time to kill his final victim the way he did the others. 

No. The blonde agent would have to be shot.

It was a pity he thought. She was so beautiful and reminded him so much of his own mother. He wondered if she knew she would die soon. If somewhere deep in her stomach she felt the inevitable pull of fate and destiny just like he did. 

The thought alone made him smile again. 

She would die by his hand. 

Just like the last 5 women. Just like his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thoughts were! 
> 
> I absolutely adore reading everyone's comments and honestly those are what motivate me to keep going with this! So to everyone that was left a comment: THANK YOU! I wouldn't be able to do this without you! 
> 
> Next Chapter should be up no later than Friday! 
> 
> Thank's again for reading!


	7. Boiling Point

Clarke leaned against the brick wall, a cigarette between her lips. Her nerves had been getting the best of her the last few hours. It had been a hard morning already.

“Didn’t know you were a smoker?” Bellamy’s voice broke the silence. Clarke turned to look at him and gave him a small smile. 

“Only on my toughest days.” The blonde responded. Bellamy walked to stand next to her.

“Got an extra?” He asked. “Don’t tell Octavia.” His smile was contagious and Clarke couldn’t help but feel reassurance as he stood next to her. He had been the one to wake her and Lexa up. 

“You know-” He turned to look at her after a few minutes of silence. “It wasn’t your fault. We couldn’t have known.” 

“I know.” Clarke snapped. Her voice was shaky, and she averted her gaze from Bellamy’s. 

“If you know, then why are you still blaming yourself.” Bellamy’s voice was soft as he took a deep drag of his cigarette. The blonde let out a shaky sigh. 

“I see her face every time I close my eyes. I think about the fact that she was probably scared for her life while I sat in a diner on literally the best date of my life.” She whispered. “If it even was a date. Lexa can’t even look me in the eye.” 

“Clarke-” 

“I’m okay Bell.” Clarke said softly. “Really. I know you’re right. I guess it’s just hard to process.”

“I know Blondie. And I wish I could say it gets easier, but it doesn’t. We can’t save everyone, no matter how much we wish we could.”

He put out his cigarette against the wall behind him and faced Clarke fully. Bell gave her a reassuring smile. He opened his arms as an invitation to her and motioned for her to step into his embrace. 

Clarke let out a small sob as she pressed her face into his chest. She had been letting the guilt in her chest build until it overcame her reasoning. Being wrapped in Bellamy’s embrace reminded her of her father. His strong arms held her and she continued to cry. She had never missed Jake Griffin as much as she did at that moment. 

It had been a few months since she had seen Jake. 

“The only thing we can do now is find this guy and take him down.” Bellamy finally said once Clarke’s tears died down. “Let’s go inside Rookie, we have a briefing to get to.”

Clarke nodded as she pulled herself away from him. She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

“Thanks Blake. Guess you really do live up to the ‘big bro’ hype don’t you?” Clarke joked. Bellamy gave her a grin and ruffled her hair. 

“Octavia isn’t the only one who reaps the benefits of being my little sister.” He replied. 

Bellamy held the door open for Clarke as they both stepped inside. 

Neither of them noticed the man watching them from across the parking lot. 

\----------

He was running out of time. 

The gun hidden in the pocket of his hoodie felt hot against his skin. 

He wondered how long it would be until the blonde detective would be alone once more. His plan to take her while she was outside was derailed by the tall man who had joined her. 

The male detective was turning out to be a real problem after all. 

But no matter. He would simply have to move on to Plan B. 

\----------

Lexa stood at the head of the conference table, a bulletin board with all the victims faces and crime scene photos behind her. Octavia was writing out a statement to put out into the press now that another body had been discovered. 

“Where are we at Woods?” Bellamy came up next to her.

“Well, if you could keep your hands off of Griffin for more than 10 minutes, you would know that we are reviewing the lab results Raven sent over.” Lexa said cooly. She knew her hostility was unnecessary but the lack of energy and over caffeination of her body caused her to feel indifferent. 

If Bellamy was caught off guard, he didn't show it. Instead he crossed his arms at his chest and gave Lexa a confused look. 

“Woah there.” he said calmly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you today, but maybe you should talk to her before going around snapping at people.” 

“I want us to focus on the case Blake.” Lexa replied. “I don’t have time to deal with emotional dilemmas. 

“No. But maybe you have time to not be a dick and actually talk to the poor girl.” He whispered at her as more people filed into the room. “Or don’t. I really don’t care. But don’t try to snap at me when I did nothing wrong.” 

Lexa felt the cold indifference turn to burning guilt. He was right. She hadn’t said a single word to Clarke all day. The news of another body being found was enough to make her forget the time she had spent with the blonde at that diner. Lexa knew it was irrational to believe that her and Clarke stepping out for a couple of hours had caused this chain of events. But it was hard not to think about it. 

“I’m sorry Bell-” Lexa said. He shook his head and gave her a small smile. 

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to.” 

“I know.” 

\----------

They were going to kill him. 

Or atleast, that’s what he hoped would happen. 

He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life rotting away in a cell somewhere. 

He wondered what the best way to do it would be. How many times would they shoot him?

There were only 2 things he needed to accomplish. 

One. Kill the blonde detective. 

Two. Be killed in the process. 

\----------

“Please tell me you have a name Rae.” Lexa asked. Everyone sat in the conference room dissecting every detail found on the body. 

“Well lucky for you sweetheart-” They could hear the smirk in Raven’s voice even over the speaker. “I sure do. His name is Anthony Cannero.” 

“What do we know about him?” Bellamy asked as he pulled out his notebook from his coat pocket. 

“Not much if I’m being honest.” Raven said earnestly. “He’s got a record. A couple B&E’s and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. He grew up in Hudson but moved away when he was a teen, he’s been back for a few years now.” 

“Anything connecting him to Richard Zander?” Lexa asked. 

“Nope. He just works for the guy. Other than that nothing.” 

“Wait-” Octavia spoke up. “How did we get his name this time? He’s been so careful in the past” 

“The victim fought back. We found his blood under her nails and he actually left DNA this time that we were able to find from the rape kit.” Raven answered. They could hear the clicking of her computer keys in the background. “Tony is getting sloppy.” 

“Or he wants to be caught.” Clarke replied. She hadn’t said a single thing during the briefing. The blonde flipped through her notes. “He has been extremely careful in the past. His victims were always easily overpowered by him and he was meticulous with how he dumped the bodies. The only thing that has changed is us. He wants us to catch him. Unsubs like him want to be heard, from what we know about the profile he had a hard childhood. In his mind, I think he just wants to justify himself.” 

“You’re right.” Bellamy said after a beat of silence. “That would explain the erratic change in behavior.” 

“And the increase in brutality towards each victim.” Lexa added. Clarke nodded and scribbled down more information in her notes. 

“Do we have a location on him?” The blonde asked, 

“No. We sent SWAT to his house but it was completely empty.” John said with a frown. 

“So we have nothing?” Clarke sighed angrily as she threw her pen down on the table. Her hands ran through her hair and down to her neck in exasperation. 

A tall officer walked into the conference room at that moment. He reached his hand out to Lexa and handed her a folded piece of paper. She took the paper into her hands and unfolded it, reading the words written there. Lexa’s brows furrowed and she turned to the officer in anger. 

“How long ago did he call??” Her voice was shaking. Bellamy made his way next to her quickly. His hands were already taking the note from her hands. 

“About 3 minutes ago ma’am. The call only lasted 15 seconds and it came from the tip line.” The office responded quickly. 

“What’s going on Bell?” Octavia asked. John and Clarke looked expectantly at Bell and Lexa. 

The tension in the room thickened as Bellamy and Lexa looked at each other. Lexa’s green eyes silently pleading with Bellamy. The taller man looked away and sighed as he crumpled the note in his hand. 

“Cannero just called the tip line. He wants to turn himself in.” Bellamy said slowly. 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” John asked. 

“He wants to meet Clarke alone. That’s the only way he’ll turn himself in.” Lexa answered. 

For the first time that day, green eyes met blue and the world melted away, even if only for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck it out this far! 
> 
> I wrote and rewrote this chapter almost 30 times but couldn't seem to get it quite right :/ 
> 
> Hopefully it made sense and y'all like it! 
> 
> Please leave a comment down below letting me know what you think!


End file.
